An Ana lysis of Damages Inflicted to the Bearing of Rolling Stock Traction Machines Powered by Frequency and Voltage Converters

  • Viktor D. TULUPOV
  • Mikhail A. SLEPTSOV
  • Alexander A. BRIEDIS
Keywords: electric train, traction electric drive, frequency and voltage converter, bearing currents, bearing failures

Abstract

The technical and economic efficiency of electric rolling stock (ERS) is determined by the characteristics of its traction electric drives, the key ones of them being the manufacturing cost, repair and maintenance costs, service life, specific energy consumption, and operational reliability. The modern ERS uses induction electric drives with pulse-width control of the voltage and frequency control of the rotation frequency. The field experience gained from operation of electric drives equipped with semiconductor converters has shown a growing number of cases involving accelerated wear of the traction machine bearings. Currents through the bearings or shaft currents, which usually flow from the electrical machine shaft through the bearings, have been known since the time the electrical machines were invented. Owing to recent achievements made in power electronics, the application field of inductor motors has become much wider. In particular, the use of inverters with pulse-width modulation (PWM) and high switching frequency make it possible to operate an electric drive with a lower acoustic noise and with more efficient energy conversion; however, the use of inverters also entails the generation of bearing currents in induction motors. The article analyzes possible factors causing the occurrence of bearing currents. Typical changes occurring in the bearings as a result of electric current flowing through them are shown: the rolling surface becomes dull, grooves on the ball race occur, and lubrication becomes degraded. The influence of operating parameters on the frequency of the occurring breakdowns and the distribution of forces in the bearing system depending on the load are considered. A conclusion is drawn that the potential problem of bearing currents should be solved using design, structural, and algorithmic methods at different stages of design and operation of electrical systems involving adjustable electric drives.

Author Biographies

Viktor D. TULUPOV

(National Research University Moscow, Power Engineering Institute» – NRU «МРEI», Moscow, Russia) – Professor of Electrotechnical Complexes of Autonomous Objects and Electric Transport Dept., Dr. Sci. (Eng.)

Mikhail A. SLEPTSOV

(NRU «MPEI», Moscow, Russia) – Associate Professor of Electrotechnical Complexes of Autonomous Objects and Electric Transport Dept., Cand. Sci. (Eng.) BRIEDIS Alexander A. (NRU «MPEI», Moscow, Russia) – Assistant of Electrotechnical Complexes of Autonomous Objects and Electric Transport Dept.

Alexander A. BRIEDIS

(NRU «MPEI», Moscow, Russia) – Assistant of Electrotechnical Complexes of Autonomous Objects and Electric Transport Dept.

References

1. Тулупов В.Д., Бриедис А.А. Возможность улучшения энергетических показателей электропоездов за счёт модернизации схем силовых цепей. – Вест ник ЭИ, 2016, № 4, с. 83–87.

2. Zhuxia Fan, Yongjian Zhi, Bringquan Zhu et al. Research of Bearing Voltage and Bearing Current in Induction Motor Drive System. – 2016 Asia- Pacific International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility (APEMC). Shenzhen, China, 2016. рр. 1195–1198. DOI: 10.1109/APEMC.2016.7522983.

3. Akagi H., Tamuramore S. A Passive EMI Filter for Eliminating Both Bearing Current and Ground Leakage Current From an Inverter-Driven Motor. – IEEE Tansactions on Power Electronics, 2006, vol. 21, No. 5, pp. 1459–1469. DOI: 10.1109/TPEL.2006.880239.

4. Kalaiselvi J., Srinivas S. Beareing Curreunts and Shaft Voltage Raduction in Dual-inverter-fed Open–end Winding Iduction Motors with Reduced CMV PWM Methods. – IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, 2014, vol. 62, No. 1, pp.144–152. DOI: 10.1109/TIE.2014.2336614.

5. Saunders L.A., Skibinski G.L., Evon S.T., Kempkes D.L. Riding the reflected wave-IGBT drive technology demands new motor and cable considerations. Petroleum and Chemical Industry Conference, 1996, Records of Conference Papers. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Incorporated Industry Applications Society 43rd Annual, 1996, pp. 75–84.

6. Busse D., Erdman J., Kerkman R.J., Schlegel D.W., Skibinski G. Bearing currents and their relationship to PWM drives. – Power Electronics, IEEE Transactions No. 12, 1997, 2, pp. 243–252.

7. Shaotang Chen, Lipo T.A., Fitzgerald D. Modeling of motor bearing currents in PWM inverter drives. – Industry Applications. IEEE Transactions No. 32 1996, 6, pp. 1365–1379.

8. Busse D., Erdman J.M., Kerkman R.J., Schlegel D.W., Skibinski G. The effects of PWM voltage source inverters on the mechanical perfomence of rolling bearings. – Industry Applications. IEEE Transactions No. 33 1997, 2, pp. 567–576.

9. Conraths H.J., Giessler F. u., Heining H.D. Shaft Voltage and Bearing Current- New Phenomena in Inverter Drive Induction Machines. – European Conf. on Power Electronics and Applications, EPE 99- ECCE Europe 1999.

10. Hausberg V., Seinsch H.O. Kapazitive Lagerspannungen und strome bei umrichtergespeisten Induktionsmaschinen. – Archiv fur elektrotechnik 82, 2000, 3/4, pp. 153–162.

11. Jing Quan, Baodong Bai, Yu Wang, Weifeng Liu. Research on Electrostatic shield for Discharge Bearing Currents Suppression in Variable-frequency Motors. – Intern. Conf. on Electrical Machines and Systems, 2014, pp. 139–143.

12. Muetze A., Binder A., Vogel H., Hering J. Experimental evaluation of the endangerment of ball bearings due to inverter-induced bearing currents. – Industry Applications Conf., 2004 39th Annual Meeting. Conf. Record of the 2004 IEEE, 2004, pp. 1989–1995.

13. Tischmacher H., Gattermann S. Bearing currents in converter operation. – Electrical Machines (ICEM). 2010 XIX Intern. Conf., 2010, pp. 1–8.

14. Tischmacher H., Gattermann S. Multiple signature analysis for the detection of bearing currents and the assessment of the resulting bearing wear. – Power Electronics, Electrical Drives, Automation and Motion (SPEEDAM), 2012, pp. 1354–1359.

15. Romanenko A., Ahola J., Muetze A. Influence of electric discharge activity on bearing lubricating grease degradation. – 2015 IEEE Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition, 2015, pp. 4851–4852.

16. Hurley S., Cann P.M., Spikes H.A. Lubrication and Reflow Properties of Thermally Aged Greases. – Tribology Transactions 43 (2000) 2, 2000, pp. 221–228.

17. Vasilev B.Yu., Kozyaruk A.E. Bearing Currents of Driving Machines in Drives with Semiconductor Transformer. – Bulletin of the South Ural State University. Ser. Power Engineering, 2016, vol.16 No. 3, pp. 93–100.

18. Magdun O., Gemeinder Y., Binder A. Investigation of influence of bearing load and bearing temperature on EDM bearing currents. – Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition (ECCE). 2010 IEEE, 2010, pp. 2733–2738.

19. Muetze A., Tamminen J., Ahola J. Influence of Motor Operating Parameters on Discharge Bearing Current Activity. – Industry Applications. IEEE Transactions on 47 (2011) 4, 2011, pp. 1767–1777.

#

1. Tulupov V.D., Briyedis A.A. Vozmozhnost’ uluchsheniya energeticheskikh pokazateley elektropoyezdov za schot modernizatsii skhem silovykh tsepey (Possibility of improving the energy performance of electric trains due to the modernization of power circuits). Vestnik MEI, 2016, № 4, pp. 83–87.

2. Zhuxia Fan, Yongjian Zhi, Bringquan Zhu et al. Research of Bearing Voltage and Bearing Current in Induction Motor Drive System. – 2016 Asia- Pacific International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility (APEMC). Shenzhen, China, 2016. рр. 1195–1198. DOI: 10.1109/APEMC.2016.7522983.

3. Akagi H., Tamuramore S. A Passive EMI Filter for Eliminating Both Bearing Current and Ground Leakage Current From an Inverter-Driven Motor. – IEEE Tansactions on Power Electronics, 2006, vol. 21, No. 5, pp. 1459–1469. DOI: 10.1109/TPEL.2006.880239.

4. Kalaiselvi J., Srinivas S. Beareing Curreunts and Shaft Voltage Raduction in Dual-inverter-fed Open–end Winding Iduction Motors with Reduced CMV PWM Methods. – IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, 2014, vol. 62, No. 1, pp.144–152. DOI: 10.1109/TIE.2014.2336614.

5. Saunders L.A., Skibinski G.L., Evon S.T., Kempkes D.L. Riding the reflected wave-IGBT drive technology demands new motor and cable considerations. Petroleum and Chemical Industry Conference, 1996, Records of Conference Papers. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Incorporated Industry Applications Society 43rd Annual, 1996, pp. 75–84.

6. Busse D., Erdman J., Kerkman R.J., Schlegel D.W., Skibinski G. Bearing currents and their relationship to PWM drives. – Power Electronics, IEEE Transactions No. 12, 1997, 2, pp. 243–252.

7. Shaotang Chen, Lipo T.A., Fitzgerald D. Modeling of motor bearing currents in PWM inverter drives. – Industry Applications. IEEE Transactions No. 32 1996, 6, pp. 1365–1379.

8. Busse D., Erdman J.M., Kerkman R.J., Schlegel D.W., Skibinski G. The effects of PWM voltage source inverters on the mechanical perfomence of rolling bearings. Industry Applications. IEEE Transactions No. 33 1997, 2, pp. 567–576.

9. Conraths H.J., Giessler F. u., Heining H.D. Shaft Voltage and Bearing Current- New Phenomena in Inverter Drive Induction Machines. – European Conf. on Power Electronics and Applications, EPE 99- ECCE Europe 1999.

10. Hausberg V., Seinsch H.O. Kapazitive Lagerspannungen und strome bei umrichtergespeisten Induktionsmaschinen. – Archiv fur elektrotechnik 82, 2000, 3/4, pp. 153–162.

11. Jing Quan, Baodong Bai, Yu Wang, Weifeng Liu. Research on Electrostatic shield for Discharge Bearing Currents Suppression in Variable-frequency Motors. – Intern. Conf. on Electrical Machines and Systems, 2014, pp. 139–143.

12. Muetze A., Binder A., Vogel H., Hering J. Experimental evaluation of the endangerment of ball bearings due to inverter-induced bearing currents. – Industry Applications Conf., 2004 39th Annual Meeting. Conf. Record of the 2004 IEEE, 2004, pp. 1989–1995.

13. Tischmacher H., Gattermann S. Bearing currents in converter operation. – Electrical Machines (ICEM). 2010 XIX Intern. Conf., 2010, pp. 1–8.

14. Tischmacher H., Gattermann S. Multiple signature analysis for the detection of bearing currents and the assessment of the resulting bearing wear. – Power Electronics, Electrical Drives, Automation and Motion (SPEEDAM), 2012, pp. 1354–1359.

15. Romanenko A., Ahola J., Muetze A. Influence of electric discharge activity on bearing lubricating grease degradation. – 2015 IEEE Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition, 2015, pp. 4851–4852.

16. Hurley S., Cann P.M., Spikes H.A. Lubrication and Reflow Properties of Thermally Aged Greases. – Tribology Transactions 43 (2000) 2, 2000, pp. 221–228.

17. Vasilev B.Yu., Kozyaruk A.E. Bearing Currents of Driving Machines in Drives with Semiconductor Transformer. – Bulletin of the South Ural State University. Ser. Power Engineering, 2016, vol.16 No. 3, pp. 93–100.

18. Magdun O., Gemeinder Y., Binder A. Investigation of influence of bearing load and bearing temperature on EDM bearing currents. – Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition (ECCE). 2010 IEEE, 2010, pp. 2733–2738.

19. Muetze A., Tamminen J., Ahola J. Influence of Motor Operating Parameters on Discharge Bearing Current Activity. – Industry Applications. IEEE Transactions on 47 (2011) 4, 2011, pp. 1767–1777.

Published
2020-11-09
Section
Article